A better way to house the homeless

Last month, state Sen. and Union City Mayor Brian Stack invited representatives from state and county governments and shelter staff to address and answer questions about the homeless problem for the clergy of his district and city.

THE REV. CARLOS W. Jarvis, center, and the Rev. Gary Kugler, joined by Annette Rocker, left, walk away from the house next door to St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Union City, which served as a temporary homeless shelter to Cuban refugees. Rocker is a former member of the Christ-St. John Lutheran Church in West New York, which was a supporter of St. John's shelter ministry.

ANNETTE ROCKER, left, the Rev. Gary Kugler, center, and the Rev. Carlos W. Jarvis of the St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Union City, stand in the kitchen inside the church hall that served as a homeless shelter from 1981 to 1994.REENA ROSE SIBAYAN JOURNAL PHOTOS

Some 25 clergy and other interested parties heard representatives from the state Departments of Community Affairs and Health and Human Services, the county’s Health and Human Services, staff from PERC in Union City, St. Lucy’s in Jersey City and the United Way of Hudson County at Evangelical Pentecostal Church on Broadway. I was startled to learn that the federal government wants to do away with the shelter approach to homelessness in favor of a more direct placement to some form of transitional housing.

The three Hudson County homeless shelters all have religious roots or sponsorship.

St. Lucy’s near the Holland Tunnel, housed in the former Catholic elementary school of the same name, is run by Catholic Community Services. The Hoboken Shelter in St. John’s Lutheran Church at Third and Bloomfield was formed by a coalition of churches and United Synagogue, which continues to sponsor and support it. And PERC, which stands for Palisades Emergency Residence Corp., had its start at St. John Lutheran Church on Palisade Avenue in Union City.

The Rev. Gary Kugler has been the pastor there since 1966 – that’s nearly 48 years – which makes him the longest serving clergy member of any congregation in the county. Kugler is quite modest about his accomplishments, according to Dan Altilio, executive director of the United Way. “He is such a wonderful man,” said Altilio, who has made eradicating homelessness his organization's signature project.

Kugler, who speaks Spanish, recalled how PERC opened in response to the Cuban immigration of the late 1970s and ’80s. He cited the late Rev. Michael Fuino, who was pastor of nearby St. Anthony’s Church, for his outreach. And his successor, the Rev. Raul Comesanas, also a Cuban immigrant, housed the refugees in his school building until the city stopped him.

That led Kugler “to open one little room at his church” to house the homeless. Eventually, Catholic Community Services and Lutheran Relief Services, among others, got involved and the church hall became the shelter from 1981 to 1994 when PERC was formed and moved to a new location.

For Kugler, it was simple. People were sleeping on his doorstep and ringing the doorbell. “It was not right to say no.” He also credits the model of Anthony House, which still takes in women with children in crisis, the old St. Mary’s, Jersey City, convent.

Today, all three shelters have limits of space and rules that have to be followed but when the temperature drops to freezing, everyone is accepted and transported to rotating locations, according to Altilio. He said there is a need for a “wet shelter” in Hudson County, for people living on the streets who cannot go to a shelter because of addictions or mental health issues. “They need to die with dignity,” said Altilio, instead of dying on the streets.

Altilio describes United Way as a “grassroots” organization whose 17 staff members work on transforming the way we help the homeless. “Homelessness is our mission,” he said. By the end of the year in collaboration with the county, they expect to have up to 80 units – over 50 are occupied now — where homeless get placed in special housing where HUD provides voucher assistance and support services. These are scattered in buildings throughout the county. Developers like it because United Way assures the rent is paid on time.

Altilio threw down the gauntlet to the clergy of the county. He likes what some other counties have done enlisting churches, synagogues and temples to volunteer one week over a period of time to house the homeless in their buildings. Volunteers from the respective houses of worship minister to the homeless for that week by providing meals and support. In Hudson County, Altilio says, “If we only had a cohesive clergy organization.”

Can clergy accept Altilio’s challenge?

Santora is the pastor of The Church of Our Lady of Grace & St. Joseph, 400 Willow Ave., Hoboken, 07030, fax (201)659-5833, e-mail: padrealex@yahoo.com.